Spiritual Maturity

I should totally be asleep right now, sitting up in my room (the Brandy song just came in my head) in Oklahoma City. I had to pause and reflect on what has been one of the greatest weeks in recent memory in regards to youth ministry. It wasn’t just Jesus is the Rockstar (now I really need to recap how powerful that experience was but one blog at a time) it wasn’t speaking at a Youth Conference this past weekend, but it was being inundated and bombarded with emails, phone calls, and text messages from young people with various situations who were all simultaneously being matured spiritually in a unique and profound way. God instantly reminded me this week that prayers I prayed at the beginning of the year concerning our youth and young adult ministries are being answered. I asked God to grant your young people substantial, sustainable spiritual growth where they would be able to look back this year and notice where they have developed and matured. It is reminiscent of a young child who stands in a closet doorway and marks their height one summer, and when they come back next summer to their elation and joy they are significantly taller than they were last year this time. They don’t know for certain what day the growth occurred, but sometime during the summer, fall, winter, and spring, growth was happening.

Such is the case spiritually, we may not be able to attribute our growth to a particular moment, but we must realize that through the various seasons of our life growth is happening every day. If you are experiencing change in what seems to be the fall of life, God is teaching how to embrace transition, if you are in the winter of your life, God is teaching how to hibernate in His presence. If things are beginning to spring forth in your life, appreciate God for what He is doing. If you are in the heat of summer in what seems to be a dry place, know that this too shall pass. A few years ago, everybody in church would declare “It’s my Season!” Often they were alluding to a time of reaping, but the fact is, every season is your season. Just because it isn’t the particular season you desire, embrace it because it is necessary for growth in your life. Nothing would grow if we had one season an entire year. Failure to embrace one season can affect the outcome of another season. You can’t wait till the spring to shout for what’s above ground, but you got to learn to praise him in the winter for what’s happening underground!

God has placed in my Spirit strongly to cultivate the ministry gifts of the Youth and Young Adults at the Cov. So it makes sense why this year, He is spiritually maturing us before instructing us how to operate in our gift. A good gift in the hands of an immature individual can be deadly. If we don’t take advantage of this opportunity for spiritual maturity, we will begin to judge our relationship with God based on how operational our gift is. Gifts and callings come without repentance. God is more interested in you, than the gifts He has given you. KJV Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? KJV Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

A few thoughts regarding Spiritual Maturity… 1.) Humility. Healthy things grow. Growing things change, and change can be uncomfortable. Allow God to reshape, redefine, and evolve who and what you thought you were. His goal is to see His reflection when He looks at you. Arrogance and pride can stunt your growth and impede your progress. KJV 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. KJV Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 2.)Accountability. I so can not emphasize the importance of this one. I would not be as close to God as I am today without having people in my life who I am accountable to. People who know more than the me I seek to present, but the me that needs work that I tend to hide. It is imperative to have people who love you enough to tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear. (Pastor Woods, Pastor Marsh, The Patterson’s, Antwon and Yvette, thank you all!) 3.) Nutrition. Nothing can grow without proper nutrition. KJV 1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: So many people desire to grow spiritually, but don’t incorporate the proper diet of eating the word of God in order to grow. As a result we have malnutrition saints who aren’t healthy spiritually. Satan doesn’t respond to your theory or your logic, but only to the word of God.

God I pray that you will mature us, that you will form, mold, and shape us into the vessels of honor that you desire us to become for your glory. We don’t resist, but we submit, you are the potter, we are the clay. We embrace the process of growth and change, never allow us to become complacent or satisfied, but always cause a hunger and a longing to be present inside of us for you and your will, In Jesus name, Amen